Cigarette-case.



V. NIVOIS.

CIGARETTE CASE.

APPLICATION FILED Dsc. 9. 1914.

LQSQIWQI, PfIIImIeII July 3, 1917.

lUNlillED STATE@ PATENT OFFlClE.

VICTOR NIVOIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

Application filed December 9, 1914.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Vieron Nrvors, a citizen of France, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cigarette-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

rFhis invention relates to cases such as used for carrying articles and which are opened from time to time to remove the articles.

While the invention is applicable to cases for carrying articles of many kinds, I have described it in the accompanying specification as applied to a case for cigars, cigarettes or similar articles.

My invention relates particularly to the type of ease of this kind which comprises two connected case sections which are adapted to swing apart in opening the case and which, w ien the case is open, display a holder carrying the cigarettes in an upright position in the angle or space between the two case sections. lNhen the case is closed, the holder folds into the space between the case sections.v

A principal object of the invention is to produce a case of this general type having a very simple and neat construction and having very simple means for enabling the case to operate in the manner stated above.

A further object of the invention is to improve also the construction of the holder for the cigarettes and to produce a holder of very simple construction and of neat appearance. i

A further object of the invention is to produce a holder which though especially adapted for use in a case of the type described will have features which may be used without the case and particularly relating to the means for attaching the walls of the holder, enablingthe same to be moved away from each other to'facilitate the filling of the holder, but operating to return either of the walls of the holder after being moved away from its normal position.

Further objects of the invention will appear more clearly hereinafter.

The invention consists in the general combination of parts and features hereinafter Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 191'?.

Serial No. 876.275.

described, all of which contribute to produce an efficient case and an ell'icient holder.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be particularly described in the following specification, while the broad scope of my invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings Figure 1 is a vperspective of a case embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the case sections of the cigarette holder showing its inner face and showing the other case section as viewed in cross section near the hinge connection between the case sections.

Fig. 3 is a vside elevation showing the adjacent ends of the case sections slightly apart and indicating the manner in which they are alined with each other when being connected together.

Fig. 4 is a cross section upon an enlarged scale taken through the hinge connection of the case, showing the saine in an open posi tion, and also showing the inner portion of the holder.

Fig. 5 is a section at the inner portion of the holder, taken longitudinally through the aXis on which the side plates of the holder are attached to the central plate. This view particularly illustrates the manner in which the hinge connection is formed at this point, and the very simple means for permitting either of the side plates to swing away from each other or the central plate, and for re turning them when so moved.

G is a plan view of the three inembers of the cigarette holder, the members being detached from one another.

Referring more particularly to the parts, l() and 1l represent two case sections consisting of two shallow dished plates which are normally closed together to form a case which may be conveniently carried in ones pocket.

rhese case sections are joined together preferably by means of a hinge connection including a pintle 12. In order to form this hinge connection, I prefer to produce sleeves 13 on one of the case sections, (see Fig. 3) and adjacent alining sleeves 14 on the other case section. These sleeves are arranged so that when the two case sections are brought together to form the hinge, they will aline with each other end to end, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Through these alining sleeves the pintle 12 passes.

The sleeves 13 and 14 are near the ends of the hinge connection. Near the middle of the connection I provide a special sleeve 13a on the case section 11, and a similar special sleeve 14a on the case section 10. These sleeves 13a and 14 are adapted to aline with each other and receive the pintle in the same manner with the other sleeves, but they have an additional function which will presently appear. In order to enable these sleeves to perform this additional function I prefer to provide the sleeve 13l with an outwardly projecting part or linger 13b and a similar projecting finger or part 141 is formed on the opposite sleeve. The relation of these. projecting parts or fingers is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, from which it is evident that the part 13b though carried by or formed on the case section 11, is on the opposite side of the axis of the pintle 12; similarly, the part lilb which is carried by the case section 10, is on the opposite side of the axis of the pintle 12 from the case section 10. In other words, each of these parts is beyond the hinge connection with respect to the case section with which it moves.

From this arrangement it will be evident that when the case sections are swung apart to open the case, these parts 13b and 14th will approach each other. However, between them lies a part 15 of the cigarette holder 16 which is in their path and engaged by them preferably in the manner indicated in Fig. el, so that when the case sections are open the holder will be held in an upright position between the case sections.

In order to get this effect, I prefer to construct the holder 16 with a central plate 17, arranged so that the part 15 forms the lower edge of this plate. and is disposed between two sleeves 18, which sleeves are alincd with the sleeves 13 and le at the time the pintle 12 is placed in position; so that the pintle also attaches the holder at the hinge connection. These sleeves 1S lit neatly in the space between the sleeves ll and 14, and between the sleeves 13 and 111a respectively, so that there is no longitudinal play for the holder or for the case sections after being connected by the pintle. The pintle 12 per` forms the function of normally tending to swing the case sections apart when closed, but the case sections are normally prevented from opening by a catch 19 of any suitable construction.

In order to get this effect, one. end of the pintle is rigidly attached to a sleeve such as the sleeve 13 at the left side of Fig. 3 and the other end of the pintle is rigidly attached to the sleeve 14 at the other side, that is at the right side of the figure, and on the opposite case sect-ion, and the pintle is placed in torsion before being secured to these sleeves so that it constantly tends to swing the case sections apart.

It is evident that when the case is being closed the part 13b will approach the dished body portion of the case-section 10. In order to provide clearance, to permit this I prefer to cut a gap or notch 25 in the case section 10 adjacent this point. A similar gap 2G is formed in the other case-section 11 to allow for the movement of the part 141.

The holder 16 preferably comprises side plates 20 which are hinge connected with the inner or lower part of the central plate 17. In order to effect this connection, I prefer to form the lower portion of the central plate 17 with an elongated sleeve 21, and each of the side plates 20 is preferably formed with two sleeves, namely, a sleeve 22 at one end and a sleeve 23 at the other end. These sleeves are alined with each other and are oppositely arranged so that the sleeve 22 of each side plate comes against one end of the sleeve 21.`

In the sleeve 21 there is preferably placed loosely a resilient pintle or spring 24 which preferably consists of two or more elongated strips of steel twisted together preferably in the manner indicated in Fig. 5. This pintle, while being pnt in position, is held twisted, and while in a state of torsion the sleeves 23 through which it passes are rigidly secured to it. The torsional force in the spring 2li exerted thereafter tends to rotate the side walls 20 toward the center plate 17 and hence, if either of the walls 2O is swung away from the central plate 17 it will be returned by the spring when released. The side plates 2O are preferably of corrugated form so as to hold a single row of cigarettes neatly between the side plate and the center plate 17, and the upper edge of the center plate preferably projects above the upper edges of the side plates so as to facilitate the filling of the holder.

After the member 24 is in place, the ends of the outer sleeves Vmay be closed by plugs 27.

It is understood that the embodiment of my invention as described above is only one of the many embodiments or forms the invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention, nor in Vmy claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is 1. A case forcigarettes comprising two case sections having a hinge connectionV therebetween, arranged to swing apart in opening the case, each of said case sections having anoutwardly projecting part beyond the axis of the hinge connection wholly within the case, whereby said parts approach alinement with each other when the case sections are moved to their open posit-ion, and a holder for the cigarettes attached at said hinge connection and having a part lying between and in the path of said first named parts to engage the same and thus maintain said holder in an upright position when said case sections are opened to their limit.

2. A case for cigarettes comprising two case sections having a hinge connection therebetween, arranged to swing apart in opening the case, each of said case sect-ions having an outwardly projecting part beyond the axis of the hinge connection wholly within the case, whereby said parts approach alinement with each other when the case sections are moved to their open position, and a holder for the cigarettes attached at said hinge connection and having a part extending longitudinally along` the edge of said holder adjacent the hinge and lying between and in the path of said iii-st named lparts to engage the same and thus maintain said holder in an upright position when said case sections are opened to their limit.

3. A case for cigarettes comprising two case sections having a hinge connection including a pintle therebetween, arranged to swing apart in opening the case, each of said case sections having a sleeve rigid therewith, loose on the said pintle and having an outwardly projecting part beyond the axis of the hinge connection wholly within the case, whereby said parts approach alinement with each other when the case sections are moved to their open position, and a holder :tor the cigarettes attached to the pintle at said hinge connection and having a part lying between and in the path of said first named parts to engage the same and thus maintain said holder in an upright position when said case sections are opened to their limit.

4L. A case for cigarettes comprising` two case sections having a hinge connection therebetween, arranged to swing apart in opening the case, a holder for the cigarettes attached at said hinge connection, having two hingedly supported side walls to retain the cigarettes and adapted to swing away from each other, and a resilient pintle inember constantly under torsion operating to return either of said side walls when swung away from the other.

5. A holder for cigarettes comprising a central dividing plate, a pair or' side walls attached to said central plate so as to swing away from the same, and a torsional spring pintle supported in said central plate and connected with both of said side walls and operating to return either of said side walls when swung away from said central plate.

6. A case for cigarettes comprising two case sections having alining sleeves, a hinge pintle passing through said alining sleeves, each of said case sections having an outwardly projecting part adjacent one of its sleeves and beyond the axis of said pintle and lying wholly within the case, whereby said parts approach alinement with each other when the case sections are moved to their open position, and a holder plate attached to said pintle and having a part lying between and in the path of said first named parts to engage the same and thus maintain said holder plate in an upright position when said case sections are opened to their limit, said plate having a sleeve near the inner end thereof, side walls on opposite sides of said plate, one of said side walls having a rigid sleeve at one end of and alining with the said sleeve of said plate, the other oi' said side walls having a rigid and alining sleeve at the other end of said sleeve of said plate, and a torsional spring lying in the sleeves of said side walls normally holding said side walls against said plate, and operating to return either of said side walls when moved away from said plate, said side walls cooperating with said holder plate to hold cigarettes therebetween.

7. A cigarette case comprising two case sections, a hinge connection for said case sections including a hinge pintle constantly under torsion, and a cigarette holder located within and adapted to be inclosed by the case sections, said holder including two wall members and means, including a hinge pintle under const-ant torsion, for liingedly connecting said wall members.

S. A case for cigarettes comprising two case sections having a hinge connection therebetween, arranged to swing apart in opening the case, each of said case sections having an outwardly projecting part beyond the axis of the hinge connection wholly within the case, whereby said parts approach alinement with each other when the case sections are moved to their open position, a holder for the cigarettes attached to .said hinge connection and having means lying in the path of said first named parts to engage the same and thus maintain said holder in an upright position when said case sections are open to their limit.

9. A case for cigarettes comprising two case sections having a hinge connection therebetween, arranged to swing apart in opening the casc, each ot said case sections having an outwardly projecting part beyond the axis of the hinge connection wholly within the case, whereby said part-s approach alinement with each other when the case sections are moved to their open position, and a holder for the cigarettes attached at said connection having means extending longitudinally along the edge of said holder my hand in presence of two subscribing Witadjacent the hinge and lying in the path of nesses. said irst named parts t0 engage the saine and thus maintain said holder in an upright VICTOR NIVOIS.

position when said case sections are open t0 Witnesses: their limit. S. ANDREWS,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set L. ELFMAN.V

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents eaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

